Leeds University art students Jon Langford and Tom Greenhalgh formed the Mekons in 1977, taking the band's name from the Mekon, an evil, super-intelligent Venusian featured in the British 1950s-1960s comic Dan Dare (printed in the Eagle). The band first gained widepread popularity with the single "Never Been in a Riot," a satirical take on the Clash's "White Riot." For several years the loose-knit band played noisy, bare-bones post-punk in the vein of fellow Leeds students Gang of Four. Yet Langford and Greenhalgh never hewed closely to genre conventions, and by the mid-80s (now augmented by vocalist Sally Timms and violinist Susie Honeyman) they began to experiment with musical styles derived from traditional folk and country. 1985's watershed Fear and Whiskey, 1986's The Edge of the World and 1987's Honky Tonkin' exemplified the band's new sound, which built on the innovations of Gram Parsons and blended punk ethos with the minimalist country of Hank Williams. This style, sometimes referred to as "post-modern country", is a direct forerunner of the alt-country genre represented by bands like Uncle Tupelo.
Jon Langford has been busy as an artist and as founder of several solo and band projects: namely the Waco Brothers (a country-like ensemble) and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts (exploring the music of Bob Wills, Johnny Cash and others). Besides his solo albums he has released CDs with Richard Buckner and Kevin Coyne.
Subsequent albums such as The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll, while containing several straightforward rock songs, continued to explore the boundaries of the punk genre by utilizing diverse instrumentation (notably the fiddle and slide guitar) and Timm's haunting vocals.
The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll was the band's first major label release. Issued by A&M Records in 1989, it was not a commercial success, but it was met with critical acclaim. Arguably the best album of their career (alongside Fear and Whiskey), it is perhaps the most accessible synthesis of their experiments in country, rock and punk.
Just as the Mekons began to grow in critical stature, their relationship with A&M Records became more tense, and unable to fulfill their commercial expectations, the Mekons were soon dropped by the label. However, not only did the band remain intact, they continued to record at a prolific rate, releasing such notable albums as 1991's Curse of the Mekons, 2000's Journey to the End of the Night, and 2002's OOOH!.
The band continues to tour under an altered lineup, and has a highly devoted following.
Diamonds
The Mekons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something there glitters, the theft is made
Gold speckled waters, the source unfound
Slips through wet fingers back under ground
The reason for the voyage hasn't been forgot
The trail's not cold, the coals are hot
The crew draw back together like magnets
Salmon at sea that head back to fresh water
To the head of the stream and the inevitable slaughter
Carry the future back off down the river
Affection explained in a watched world
There's nothing of magic in this shining pearl
The water gets red with the rust of an anchor
The blood and the paint from the towns that got captured
Where something dissolved and got free in the current
Locked in black boxes they'll find their way
Thrown out on the highway they get home just the same
Each fishy sparkles again and again
Where rough diamonds lie
A lens that bends all light
Will change and shape to suit its eye
Where rough diamonds lie
Affection explained in a watched world
There's nothing of magic in this shining pearl
Where rough diamonds lie
The Mekons's song "Diamonds" talks about a voyage in search of something valuable, possibly diamonds, which has been stolen and glitters in the water. The thieves slip away and the source is unfound. The crew keeps the trail from going cold, drawing back together like magnets. The song then takes on a different meaning with the image of salmon swimming back to their natural habitat, carrying the future with them, only to meet their inevitable slaughter.
The lyrics then refer to the "watched world," where everything, even the smallest act of affection, is explained and taken apart. There is no magic in this world, not even in the shining pearl that is the stolen loot. The water also turns red with the rust of an anchor and the blood and paint from the towns that were captured. The current carries something free and dissolved away. The song ends on an optimistic note with the repeated refrain of "Where rough diamonds lie," suggesting that despite the hardships, there is still something beautiful, valuable, and precious to be found.
Line by Line Meaning
Sly like a magpie's shared between the species
The stolen treasure is divided and shared among the group in a clever and secretive way just like how magpies stash their precious items.
Something there glitters, the theft is made
The stolen item glimmers and shines, indicating that the robbery has been accomplished.
Gold speckled waters, the source unfound
The valuable treasure is hidden deep in the unknown and sparkling waters that are hard to find.
Slips through wet fingers back under ground
The precious item can easily slip away and go back underground if not handled with proper care and attention.
The reason for the voyage hasn't been forgot
The motive behind the journey or mission is not forgotten, and it still drives the team towards their goal.
The trail's not cold, the coals are hot
The path to their objective is still warm, and there are no visible obstacles or setbacks that could prevent them from achieving their target.
The crew draw back together like magnets
The group is united and pulled together tightly, just like how magnets attract towards each other.
Salmon at sea that head back to fresh water
Like salmon that migrate back to their birthplace, the group heads back to where they came from for a particular reason.
To the head of the stream and the inevitable slaughter
Their journey leads to a spot where something crucial will happen, that may be violent, tragic and inevitable.
Carry the future back off down the river
Their actions in the past will have a significant impact on the future, which they carry away on the river's current.
Affection explained in a watched world
In a world where everything is under scrutiny, even emotional connections can be analyzed, explained and judged.
There's nothing of magic in this shining pearl
Despite its glittery appearance, the valuable item they seek may have no inherent magical or mystical properties.
The water gets red with the rust of an anchor
The water changes color and becomes murky due to the debris and contamination from the anchor.
The blood and the paint from the towns that got captured
The environment has been affected by the oppression of other towns, resulting in bloodshed and destruction.
Where something dissolved and got free in the current
The material that got dissolved has been set free and is flowing with the water's current, decomposing and spreading out.
Locked in black boxes they'll find their way
Even if the treasure is locked in black boxes, the team will eventually discover a way to get to it.
Thrown out on the highway they get home just the same
Despite being cast aside and disregarded like garbage, the team and the treasure both find their way home regardless.
Each fishy sparkles again and again
The treasure is like a school of glittering fish, continuously sparkling and shining like new.
Where rough diamonds lie
The treasure they seek is where the raw, unpolished diamonds are found, in the form of a valuable and precious item.
A lens that bends all light
An all-seeing lens that can bend and distort reality, giving a distorted view on things.
Will change and shape to suit its eye
It will alter and adjust the output to fit its preconceived notions and beliefs.
Where rough diamonds lie
The treasure they seek is where the raw, unpolished diamonds are found, in the form of a valuable and precious item.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK ANDREW HOLMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind